


Stripped Bare

by WordsInTimeAndSpace



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, UST
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-05
Updated: 2018-01-14
Packaged: 2019-02-28 20:09:42
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,144
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13278975
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WordsInTimeAndSpace/pseuds/WordsInTimeAndSpace
Summary: The Doctor desperately tries to keep Rose safe in the middle of a virus outbreak. When things go wrong, they end up in the decontamination shower, taking the chance to finally bare their feelings to each other.





	1. Chapter 1

Rose woke to the clinking of glass and a low, muffled curse from the Doctor. She sat up with a start, her heart racing in her chest as the last remains of her dream whirled through her mind. A shiver went down her spine. Slowly, the images of death and destruction haunting her sleep faded. She was safe, Rose realized as she let her gaze wander through the unfamiliar room. Her eyes settled on the Doctor. He would make sure she was safe.

The Doctor was bent over a workbench, his back to her. The surface was covered with flasks and vials and tubes, the complicated construction hissing here and there, liquid bubbling in some of the containers. Rose had long given up trying to understand it all.

She shrugged off the Doctor’s coat that was covering her like a blanket, although she couldn’t remember when he had draped it over her. Groaning, she got to her feet. Her muscles and joints protested after she had spent the night with only a camping mat on the cold, hard ground of the laboratory.

Instantly, the Doctor whirled around to her. His eyes were wide with worry. A second later he was at her side, raising his hand to touch her forehead. Frowning, Rose batted his hand away.

“I’m fine,” she insisted, but the Doctor’s expression only darkened.

“Do you have limb pain?” he asked, his gaze running over her. “You know that is one of the first symptoms. Headache? Sore throat? Fatigue?”

“No. Just a little sore after sleeping on the floor.” Rose winced as she stretched her arms over her head and her back cracked. The Doctor immediately took advantage and pressed his fingers to her forehead. His frown eased, just a little.

“No fever,” he announced, his shoulders slumping with relief.

“Could’ve told you that.”

“Just wanted to make sure.” The Doctor rubbed his neck, walking back to the workbench. He rested his hands on the surface and bent down to study the instruments. Rose joined him, leaning her back against the table and reaching out to squeeze the Doctor’s hand. He turned his palm up until she could link her fingers through his.

“Making any progress on the vaccine?” she asked softly, taking in the Doctor’s pale face and strained features. He shrugged, running a hand down his face.

“Too slowly. I had hoped to be done by the morning, but the antigen is still unstable.”

“Did you take a break at all? Seriously Doctor, you look tired.”

“There’s no time for this,” the Doctor sighed.

“Why not? You would work better after a bit of rest. And you said it isn’t dangerous for the people here.” The Doctor raised an eyebrow at her. “Except for me,” Rose added with a grimace.

“Humans in this century, they have already gained partial immunity against this particular virus subtype,” he explained. “It’s been circulating for a few years, constantly mutating, which results in epidemics like this one. With partial immunity no one is dying, but that doesn’t mean they’re not suffering. You’ve seen how quickly this virus spreads.”

Rose nodded. Their visit to 22nd century London had been abruptly interrupted when people around them had gotten sick all of a sudden. Soon enough, half of the city had been incapacitated. With the TARDIS miles away from them, and the city swarming with people carrying a virus that the Doctor was sure would be deadly to her, his only solution had been to find a laboratory to develop a vaccine. Thankfully, the people at the nearest research center had been desperate for help. Most of their staff was sick with the virus as well. One flash of the psychic paper and they were in.

“Rose,” the Doctor said, pulling her out of her thoughts. His voice was low and serious. “I won’t let you get infected with this.”

“I know,” she said, her lips curling into a smile. With the Doctor at her side, she wasn’t worried about herself. “I just wish I could help all these people.”

“Well, you’re not going out there without the vaccine,” the Doctor said with a stern look. He finally turned back to his work. “It shouldn’t take too long. I just need to find the right adjuvant that stabilizes the antigen.”

For a while, Rose silently watched him work. He had taken off his suit jacket and tie during the night and was now only wearing his light blue oxford, the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. Rose tried not to stare, but she knew it was no use. Not when he was showing so much more skin than usual, gently ran his long fingers over the delicate construction, and pressed his tongue to the roof of his mouth in concentration.

The Doctor held up a flask, squinting at the light blue liquid inside it. “Maybe if I just… oh! Yes!” he exclaimed with a grin, snatching up his sonic screwdriver. “Just need the right setting,” he mumbled under his breath, adjusting the sonic before holding it next to the flask. “There, that should do the trick!”

He grinned, his eyes darting over to Rose, and pressed the button. The whirring of the screwdriver filled the room just for a second before the flask exploded in his hand. The Doctor yelped as the liquid splashed onto his chest and began to burn through his shirt. The fumes stung in Rose’s eyes even from a few feet apart, and the Doctor squeezed his eyes shut with a cry of pain.

Rose rushed to his side, instinctively reaching out to him.

“Don’t touch it!” the Doctor yelled before she could do anything. “I need- decontamination shower!”

The decontamination shower was at the other end of the room: a large, cylindrical glass case with a huge shower head above. The Doctor still had his eyes squeezed shut. The blue liquid dripped from his hands, leaving bright red spots on his skin. Without hesitating any second longer, Rose grabbed the Doctor’s arm, hauled him across the room, pulled open the door to the shower and shoved him inside. At an instant, water poured down. He was drenched within seconds, gasping as the water ran over his face.

By now, the liquid had burned a small hole into his shirt. Despite the shower, the fabric was still soaked with it. The Doctor blinked, cursing under his breath as he fumbled with the buttons of his shirt. Water ran into his eyes and his hands were trembling. With effort, he finally popped open the first button. This wasn’t going quick enough.

Taking a deep breath, Rose leaped forward and under the spray of the shower. The Doctor looked up, surprise clear in his eyes as she joined him. Rose batted his hands away from his shirt and grabbed his lapels instead. With one forceful tug, she ripped it open. Buttons clinked against the glass and onto the floor. For a second, the Doctor simply stared at her, his mouth hanging open. Rose tried to push the shirt over his shoulders, and that finally spurred him back into action. Frantically, the Doctor shrugged the fabric off and pulled his undershirt over his head with one swift movement. They both let out a sigh of relief when it finally fell onto the floor, leaving the Doctor’s chest bare.

The Doctor was breathing hard, his chest heaving, and Rose tried not to stare as the water ran over his shoulders and down his stomach. There was a small red spot on his skin where the liquid had burned him, but it didn’t look too bad. Barely more than a light sunburn.

“All right?” Rose asked, a little breathless.

“I-” The Doctor’s voice cracked. “Yes,” he finally managed to get out. “No harm done.”

“What happened?”

“Err…” The Doctor ran a hand through his hair, making it stand up in all directions for just a second before the pouring water flattened it again. He gave her a sheepish smile. “Wrong setting on the screwdriver, I assume.”

Rose heaved a sigh. “And that’s why I said you should take a break.”

“I can’t…” the Doctor started, trailing off. He didn’t look at her. Hesitantly, Rose reached out to him, grasping his hand. She gave it a squeeze and the Doctor let out a long breath. But he still didn't speak. Instead, he lunged forward and pulled her into a tight embrace. He buried his face in the crook of her neck, trembling as Rose wrapped her arms around him.

“I was so close to losing you,” he said, making Rose shiver as his breath ghosted over her skin.

“But you didn’t. I didn’t get sick, Doctor.”

“You ran to the first person who collapsed on the street. You held her until the ambulance was there. With the infection rate of this virus, it’s a miracle that you’re not sick.”

Rose held him tighter, one hand rubbing circles on his bare back, while she buried the other in the wet strands of his hair. Trying to give any comfort she could. “I’m sorry,” she said quietly. “I didn’t know how dangerous the virus was back then.”

The Doctor laughed against her skin.

“Rose Tyler, you would’ve helped even if you knew.”

“Can you blame me? You would’ve done the same.”

“I know. I just… I can’t lose you, Rose. Not like this, not so quickly. Not because of a stupid flu virus.”

“You won’t,” Rose insisted. She pressed a kiss to the side of his head. “I promised you forever, remember?”

Her confirmations finally calmed the Doctor. But he didn’t pull back, not yet. Water still poured down on them. Rose ran her hand over the Doctor’s back, relishing the feeling of his skin bare against her fingers. His whole body was pressed close against hers. Her shirt was soaked, barely providing any kind of barrier between her chest and the Doctor’s. When the Doctor shifted his stance, one of his legs sliding between hers, Rose had to stifle a groan. Her breath hitched at the unusual closeness.

The small space in the shower, glass walls all around them, did nothing to slow down her racing heart. With the way the Doctor clung to her, Rose was sure that he could feel her reaction. But she couldn’t stop the images flashing through her head, couldn’t stop thinking about how it would feel if the Doctor pressed her against the glass, his lips on hers, his hands peeling them both out of their last remaining clothes.

Guilt surged through her all of a sudden. He was only looking for comfort, and here she was, taking advantage of it. It was a perfectly innocent hug. Until suddenly, it wasn’t.

Rose felt the Doctor’s lips press against her neck. It was so gentle she wasn’t sure if she had imagined it first. But then his lips descended a second time, and there was no way to mistake the touch. He gently sucked on the nape of her neck, making her shudder in his arms. Rose buried her fingers in his hair, grabbing the wet strands to keep him in place.

“I want you, forever,” the Doctor said against her skin, his voice rough. “So much.”

“You have me,” Rose whispered. “All of me.”

The Doctor straightened, keeping his arms tight around her. Rose raised her head, hoping to catch his lips. Ever so gently, the Doctor cradled her face in his hands. His breath ghosted over her skin and he pressed a lingering kiss to her forehead. The emotion in his touch took her breath away, but in this moment, she wanted more. Wanted to feel his lips on hers.

“Doctor.” Just one word, pleading, desperate, containing all of her longing and her insecurities. She didn’t even try to hide her feelings for him.

The Doctor let out a shuddering breath. “I... I can’t do this now,” he said, his voice wavering. “Please, I have to finish this. I need to make sure you’re safe first.”

Reluctantly, Rose pulled back. She still kept her arms around him, but the need to see his face was overwhelming. The Doctor gazed down at her, blinking against the water running down his face. His eyes were dark, full of emotion, and Rose felt like she could drown in them. The expression pushed her insecurities aside. Rose gave him a coy smile.

“But… later?” she asked, running her hands down his back until they settled on his waistband. The Doctor grinned.

“Oh, yes,” he growled, sending a shiver down Rose’s spine. “Definitely later.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rating will go up in the next chapter, if everything works out as I imagine it. But if smut is not your thing, you can also read this first chapter as a standalone.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please note the change in rating. This is nsfw, and I hope no one expected more than plotless smut from this chapter. :D

Rose let out a sigh of relief when they finally stepped into the TARDIS. It had been a long day. After the incident in the decontamination shower, the Doctor had been quick to finish the vaccine that would protect her life, but that was just the beginning. All day they had helped to set up a team that could produce the vaccine on a greater scale, helped to distribute it among the hospitals in the city, and cared for the sick as best as they could. When the Doctor had been sure that the situation was under control, they had finally made their way back home.

Absently, Rose rubbed the spot on her arm where the Doctor had injected the vaccine. She watched from the doorway how he quickly crossed the distance to the console. Rounding the central column, he pressed switches here and there, not looking at her while he sent the ship into the Vortex. The TARDIS groaned and shuddered as they took off.

“There we go!” he exclaimed with a grin, his eyes darting to her, just for a second. “Safe and sound back in the Vortex. Are you feeling all right? Hungry? We can go to Vendura Six if you’d like. Best chips in the universe! Or you can turn in if you’re tired, it’s way past your bedtime. How about-”

Rose rolled her eyes at him. It shouldn’t surprise her that he was rambling now that they were finally alone and approaching the “later” he had promised her earlier. He’d been a little jumpy all day, and really, she couldn’t blame him that he was nervous. She was as well.

But she was both too tired and too frustrated to dance around the issue any longer than necessary. They had already said the most important part: they both wanted this. Wanted each other. And if she was blunt about this whole thing, hopefully he would be too.

“I’m taking a shower,” she announced. The Doctor whirled around to her, his eyes wide. Showing a hint of vulnerability and… was that disappointment, that she would leave him standing here in the console room? Oh, he was so thick. Rose was quick to reassure him. A flutter of her eyelashes, a twinkle in her eyes, lips curled into a grin, slightly parted, enough to show her tongue peeking out at the corner. Rose watched in delight how the Doctor’s eyes darkened, his gaze glued to her lips.

“You’re more than welcome to join me,” Rose continued, giving him a wink before she dashed out of the console room.

Warm lights and the sweet fragrance of strawberries greeted her when she entered her bathroom. The shower was already running, and even without checking Rose knew it would be the perfect temperature. Stroking one of the marble walls in thanks, Rose quickly undressed. She slid open the glass door that led into the large shower, groaning as she stepped under the spray.

The Doctor took his time. She was already done with her hair care routine when she finally heard the door open.

Rose could only see his silhouette through the steamed up glass, but a second after his shoes hit the tiles with a thump he slipped into the shower. Except for his bare feet he was still fully clothed, completely with a fresh shirt and a tie. For a moment he simply stared at her, chest heaving and eyes impossibly dark, before he lunged forward under the spray of the shower, cradled her face in his hands and finally pressed his lips down to hers.

Immediately, Rose wrapped her arms around his neck, melting into his touch. The kiss was gentle at first, but the Doctor’s restraint seemed to crumble with every brush of her lips against his. Soon, the chaste kiss grew desperate. Rose gasped against his mouth as he pulled her closer, her whole body flush against his, his suit creating delicious friction against her naked skin. They were both panting by the time they pulled apart for air. The Doctor’s hands wandered down to settle on her waist, still hesitant to touch where she wanted him most. Rose needed a second to find her voice. After she had been wrought-up all day, the kiss had been enough to make her head swim with arousal.

“Took you long enough,” she teased, her tongue between her teeth.

The Doctor grinned, leaning closer to nuzzle her temple. “Sorry. Just stopped by the infirmary.” He pulled back, wiggling his fingers in front of her face. The bright red spots on his skin were gone.

Rose curled her fingers around the lapels of his shirt, pulling him closer to peck his lips. “And you felt it was necessary to get a new shirt after that?”

“Well…” The Doctor tilted his head, giving her a devilish grin. “Maybe I quite liked it when you took it off earlier.”

Rose laughed. “Maybe I did too. But we’re going to ruin a lot of shirts if we keep doing that.”

“You can take it off slowly this time. I’ll take my time with you.” And with that, he brought his lips back down to hers. Rose readily opened her mouth for him as his tongue darted out, but he kept the kiss slow, exploring her lips thoroughly now that the first urgency was out of the way. Desperate to feel more of his skin, Rose slid the tie off his neck and started working on the buttons of his shirt.

Undressing him was excruciatingly slow. The fabric of his shirt was soaked, the buttons wet and slippery, and Rose fumbled with each of them before she could pop it open. The Doctor’s lips on hers distracted her more than once from the task, but she craved his kisses too much to pull apart. The Doctor’s reaction’s made the work worthwhile. He hadn’t bothered to put on an undershirt, so every button she opened revealed more skin to her touch. At every brush of her fingers the Doctor shuddered, pulling her tighter, kissing her harder.

When Rose finally reached the last button, he quickly shrugged out of the shirt. Rose’s breath hitched at the darkness in his eyes, and before she knew what was happening, he pressed her against the wall and kissed her as if his life depended on it. Arousal flared in her belly at the feel of his chest bare against hers and his hardness against her thigh.

The Doctor peppered kisses along her face, slowly moving down her neck, sucking on her skin and making her shudder. Suddenly, he dropped to his knees in front of her. He pressed a kiss to her thigh and nudged her foot, prompting her to widen her stance. Rose’s heart skipped a beat. Hesitating, the Doctor looked up at her.

“I want to taste you,” he said, his voice low. “Been thinking about this all day.”

Letting out a whimper, Rose simply nodded, her words stuck in her throat. She curled her fingers into the Doctor’s hair, gently pulling him closer to where she was hot and throbbing. She gasped at the first touch of his tongue against her center. He teased her at first, gentle touches exploring her folds, circling her clit. Never enough pressure to get her close to the edge, no matter how aroused she was. But he seemed to sense her desperation and quickly sped up his movements, pressing down harder and slipping a finger inside her that made her cry out. Sensitive as she was after a whole day of longing for his touch, he quickly sent her flying.

Rose came with his name on her lips, her whole body trembling as her orgasm coursed through her. Gently, the Doctor eased her back down before pulling back. He jumped to his feet and wrapped her into a tight embrace. Breathing hard, Rose rested her head against his chest for a moment, relishing in the closeness as she slowly came back to reality. The Doctor moved his fingers in slow circles over her back, apparently completely at ease, but he was still hard against her thigh. When Rose kissed him again, he couldn’t hide the urgency in his movements.

The Doctor opened the fly of his trousers and together they managed to push the soaked fabric of his legs. Breathless, Rose took a second to look at him when he was finally bare in front of her. Her gaze wandered over his chest down his stomach to his cock. She couldn’t resist touching him then. The Doctor groaned as she wrapped her fingers around his length, his eyes fluttering shut.

“Want you,” he managed to say, his voice strained, as if he was barely holding on to his last bit of control.

“I told you, you have me,” Rose said with a grin, pulling him closer. “Fuck me, Doctor.”

On the other side of the shower was a small bench embedded into the wall, and it turned out to be the perfect height for what they had in mind. As soon as Rose hopped onto it, the Doctor stood between her legs, his cock gliding through her folds. He pressed his lips down to hers and thrust his hips forward. Rose winced when her back hit the cold tiles behind her. Concerced, the Doctor pulled back, searching her eyes.

“All right?”

“I’m fine. Was just cold,” Rose explained, pulling him back. She wrapped her legs around him and stroked his cock, lining him up at her entrance. The Doctor smiled and bent down to kiss her.

“We’ll find a way to warm you up,” he grinned against her lips, his voice so low it sent a shiver down her spine. The Doctor grabbed her hips and slowly pushed inside.

They both gasped as he stretched her, stilling for a moment to process the sensations. Rose had imagined this moment so many times, but her fantasies were nothing against this. The intimacy of the moment, the closeness she shared with the Doctor, made her heart speed up, the three words she had thought for so long but never dared to say at the tip of her tongue.

Finally, the Doctor began to move with slow, deep strokes. Pleasure coiled in Rose’s belly, tighter and tighter as the Doctor sped up his movements. Rose buried her hands in his hair, guiding his face back down to hers as their lips met for a sloppy kiss. The Doctor sneaked a hand down to where they were joined, rubbing circles on her clit in a way that made her toes curl and her body tense. Hot and burning her orgasm flooded through her. Rose came with a shout, pleasure tingling in her veins, and she only held the Doctor tighter as he continued to move. The Doctor grunted as he sped up one last time before he followed her into orgasm with a gasp of her name.

Breathless, he collapsed against her. Rose wrapped her arms around him, cuddling him close, and kissed every bit of skin she could reach as they both recovered.

“That was brilliant,” the Doctor finally said with a chuckle.

Rose laughed.

“It was,” she agreed, running her fingers through his hair.

The Doctor still clung to her, as if he never wanted to let go. “I’m so glad you’re all right,” he finally mumbled against her skin.

“You always keep me safe, Doctor. Thank you.”

“Anytime.” The Doctor reluctantly pulled back, his eyes shining with adoration as he gazed down at her. They both broke out into beaming smiles.

“Take me to bed?” Rose asked as she ran her hands down his stomach, making the Doctor shiver. He cocked his head and raised an eyebrow.

“What, already up for the next round?” he teased.

Rose laughed. “I might fall asleep on you,” she admitted, leaning her head back against the tiles. Exhaustion was slowly taking over.

“And you say I’m the rude one.” The Doctor pecked her forehead before he stepped out of her embrace. He held out his hand, wiggling his fingers until Rose slipped her hand into his.

“Come on then,” he said with a smile, gently tugging her out of the shower. “Let’s get you to bed, Rose Tyler.”


End file.
